Since then, things have gone pretty well on the field. Through all of the success in 2010 and 2011, the Ducks haven't had a lot of injury issues they haven't been able to paper over with depth and some X-and-O tweaks.

This feels different. And worse, they don't have an every-down answer if something happens to Kenjon Barner, their smallish running back who had 37 touches last week against Fresno State.

That isn't sustainable. If Barner goes down, Oregon has a major problem.